Foot-measure.



I PATENTED JULY 28, 1908. .P. A. MoGOWAN.

*FOOT MEASURE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY I, 1907.

fwdkawwww WWW FRANK A. MceowAN, or CANTON, 01110.

FOOT-MEASURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 28, 1908.

Application filed July 1, 1907. Serial No. 381,630.

Canton, in the county of Stark and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Foot- Measure, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an instrument for measuring a human foot for shoes or boots and especially to an instrument adapted to be used by an unskilled person for ordering shoes by mail or otherwise without an opportunity for trying on the shoes; and the objects of the improvement are to provide a simple and inexpensive device by which all the'necessary or desired measures of the foot can be accurately ascertained and registered and which at the same time is adaptedto be inclosed in an envelop for sending through the mail. These objects are attained by the construction, and arrangement illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the foot measure showing the outline of a foot indicated thereon by a dotted line. Fig. 2, a side elevation of a foot in outline showing the measure applied thereto; and Fig. 3, a detached perspective view of one tape clip showing the method of tearing the tape.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

The body 1 of the measure is in the form of a card made of pasteboard or other suitable thin and flexible material; and the card may be rectangular in outline as illustrated, although this particular form is not essential. Near one end of the card referred to herein as the rear end and approximately in the middle line with reference to the foot to be measured is fastened or formed the transverse tongue 2. This tongue is preferably made out of the body of the card by slitting the same for its three sides and then bending it upward along its third side, thus constituting a hinged rest against which the heel is to be placed for measuring the foot, as shown in Fig. 2. At and near the forward end of the card are provided a series of transverse marks or gages 3 adapted to be designated respectively in accordance with the number lengths of shoes adapted for feetof different lengths, so that by placing the foot on the card and drawing the outline thereof with a suitable marker, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1, the shoe number size of thefoot is shown at a glance. Intermediate the ends of the card are provided the three several guides 4, 5- and 6, located in series in front of the heel-restfthe two rearmost guides being longitudinally located with reference to the median line of the foot, and the foremost guide being preferably located at a lateral inclination thereto. These guides are preferably made by cutting suitable slits a, b and c in the card, thus forming the guides out of the body thereof. The preferably tearable tapes 7, 8 and 9 are passed through the slits and underneath the respective guides, as well illustrated in Fig. 1, by means of which the three necessary measuresaround the foot are readily and accurately obtained.

The rear guide 4 is located adjacent to the heel rest and may be relatively short in length, and the tape 7 which is engaged therewith is adapted to pass upward and forward around the instep of the foot. The middle guide 5 is so located and is made lon enough to include the full length of the hollow of the foot, and the tape 8 which is passed under this guide is adapted to pass upward and slightly forward around the arch of the foot. The inclined guide 6 is located and made long enough to come under the ball of feet of various sizes and the tape 9 which is passed under this guide is adapted to be assed upward over the bases of the toes.

I t will be noted in general that each tape is ada ted to be adjustable laterally under and also longitudinally along its guide to bring the tape in the exact position necessary or desirable for pro erly taking the measure ofany particular oot; and that the flexibility and elongation of the middle guide es: pecially permits the same to be curved upward to exactly fit the hollow of the foot, as shown in Fig. 2, so that the arch measure can be made to exactly conform with the foot; and furthermore that the angularity or inclination of the forward guide permits the forward tape to be skewed so as to measure the ball of the foot at the proper angle, which is usually not square w1th the axis of the foot but is at a slight inclination from a transverse line.

On one end of each tape is formed or attached the clip 10 in which is provided the transverse slot 11. The outer side 12 at least of the clip is made of a stiff and comparatively hard substance with a somewhat sharpened edge 13, so thatwhen the free end of the ta e is passed through the slot and the tape is rawn taut to neatly embrace the on and the three tapes respectively torn to indicate the exact length of the instep, arch and ball measures of the foot, can be inclosed in an envelop or otherwise sent to theshoe dealer, who is then supplied with all the nec essary information for fitting the foot.

As shown in Fig. 1 the three essential measurements around the foot are practically compelled to be made at the proper place, so that an unskilled person can use the device for measuring a foot without any preliminary knowledge or training in the art.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1 A foot measure comprising a card, a heel rest on the rear end of the card and three guides located in series thereon in front of the heel rest, the two rearmost guides being longitudinally located and the foremost guide being laterally inclined with reference to the medianline of the foot, and tapes inthe uides adapted to make the heel, arch and %all measures of the foot. I

2. A foot measure comprising a card, a heel rest on the rear end of the card and three guides located in series thereon in front of the heel rest, and laterally and longitudinally to make the exact heel, arch and ball measures of the foot, the middle guide being-flexi-' ble and elongated to permit it to fit the hollow of the foot.

3. In a foot measure, a card, three guides located in seriest hereon, the two rearmost uides being longitudinally located and the foremost guide being laterally inclined with reference to the median line of the foot, and

adjustable tapes in the guides adapted tapes in the uides adapted to make the heel, arch and ba measures of the foot.

4. In a foot measure, a card, three guides located in series thereon, and laterally and longitudinally adjustable tapes in the guides adapted to make the exact heel, arch and ball measures of the foot, the middle guide being flexible and elongated to permit it to fit the hollow of the foot.

5. In a foot measure, a card and a series of tape-guides thereon, the rearmost guides being approximately in the same alinement and the foremost guide being located at a lateral inclination to such alinement.

6. In a foot measure, a card and a series of tape uides thereon, one of the guides being flexib e and elongated to ermit it to fit the hollow of the foot, and a aterally and longitudinally adjustable tape in the one guide adapted to make the exact arch measure of the foot.

7 In a foot measure, a card, a heel rest on the rear end and a tape uide on the forward end of the card, the gui e being laterally inclined to a line passing through the heel rest and the guide, and a laterally and longitudinally adjustable ta e in the guide adapted to make the exact balI measure of the foot.

8. In a foot measure, a card and a flexible guide thereon located and elongated to )ermit it to fit the hollow of the foot, and a aterally and longitudinally adjustable tape in the guide adapted to make the exact arch measure of the foot.

9. In a foot measure, a tearable tape adapted to be passed around the foot, a clip on one end of the tape, a transverse slot in the clip adapted to receive the free end of the tape, the outer edge of the slot being adapted to tear the tape.

FRANK A. MCGOWAN.

Witnesses:

HARRY FREAsE, MARY A. CAVANAUGH. 

